For many of you bulldoggers out there, winter is way more than coming (that oneâs for you, Game of Thrones fans) â itâs already arrived. Itâs forcing you to unearth all of your heavy coats from the deepest corners of the closet. Itâs making your dog very difficult to walk. And while, yes, it does bring with it some pretty scenery and holiday cheer, it also makes motivation more challenging than ever.
Jumping out of bed early for a workout is much tougher when you already know that your house is chilly. Itâs easy to slack off of getting yourself to the gym or to the grocery store to restock your healthy snacks if thereâs snow in the forecast. Generally speaking, we all lose a little of our âgo, go, goâ attitude as the winter months roll in.
As usual, weâve got your back. Weâre totally behind you if you want to chill out a little, but if you are looking to regain your usual motivation, here are some bulldog-approved ideas to help you do it.
1. Stop saying âshould.â Switching up the language you use around things can make a big difference. The more you think to yourself that you should roast some veggies to have on hand for the week or should lace up your shoes and go for a run or should clean the house, the more of a drag it will seem. Drop the word âshouldâ from your vocabulary and find other ways to describe the things you need and want to get done.
2. Start early. Even if the floorboards do feel a little extra cold on your toes when you get out of bed in the morning, getting a jumpstart on the day will give you the wiggle room you need to move a little slower (if thatâs what winter does to you). Start checking things off your list â work tasks, meal prep, exercise, gift wrapping â early in the morning so you can stretch out the day. Once youâre feeling like your usual motivated self again, you can start setting your alarm later.
3. Make it social. Weâre always big fans of making your fitness and other wellness routines a group activity, but itâs more crucial than ever in winter. Bringing friends into your workouts and healthy meals will make you more accountable⊠and, more importantly, will make the whole thing way more fun.
4. Stick to your routine. The more you stray from your usual schedule, the more likely youâll be to procrastinate and lose sight of the things you want to do from day-to-day. Donât be so thrown off by snowstorms and holiday parties that you blow off setting your alarm, eating three solid meals a day, going to bed at a reasonable hour, and the like. Itâs okay to go rogue every once in a while, of course, but if you want to maintain your motivation, routine is key.
5. Get creative. Still want to work out, but not so interested in leaving the house? Shake things up with at-home exercise! Our bulldog online classes and app are a great place to start.
6. Write it down. Stop making mental to-do lists and start writing down what you need to accomplish over the course of your day. Seeing your tasks and goals on paper in front of you will help you actually make them happen. Honestly, who doesnât like the satisfying feeling of crossing something off a list? Itâs the best!
7. Suit up. Itâs a scientific fact that if you feel like you look fly in your workout clothes, youâre more likely to actually work out in them (instead of simply using them as an extra stop between your jeans and your pajamas). Well, if itâs not a scientific fact, then it definitely should be. If you feel your motivation to exercise lagging, invest in some cold-weather swag that will keep you warm and encourage you to be active. Why not check out our bulldog collection?
How do you stay motivated at this time of year? Tell us on Facebook + Twitter!
***You can get the bulldog experience anywhere, anytime with our online classes or via our app (App store | Google Play) â and make sure you check out our full line of bulldog swag, too! Donât forget to subscribe to the bulldog blog so you can get e-mail notifications about every new post.***
Featured image: Jonathan Knepper/Unsplash; streetlight image: Filip Bunkens/Unsplash